KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 41 Action News is offering a daily recap of COVID-19 related stories from across Kansas City and the country. Check back every morning for the latest developments.
LATEST: COVID-19 case tracker for Missouri, Kansas and Kansas City
University of Kansas Health System daily update
Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System expressed cautious optimism at the decreasing number of patients in the hospital Monday morning.
Eighty-two patients were being treated for acute COVID-19 infections, 47 of whom are in the intensive care unit.
Twenty-eight patients are on ventilators, and 59 are in recovery phases.
The doctors also talked about COVID-19 vaccines Monday, dispelling some rumors circulating on social media and encouraging those who do get the vaccine to track side effects.
Kansas, Missouri release more vaccine plan details
Leaders in Kansas and Missouri released additional insight into their states' respective vaccine plans Friday.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said meatpacking plant and grocery store workers will be high on the state's priority list for vaccination as they are deemed essential workers.
In Missouri, the state's health department director said their focus will be on vaccinating all hospital workers and nursing home staff and residents by the year's end.
Family pens obituary for fallen father; blames society's response to COVID-19
The obituary of a Kansas man who died from COVID-19 has gained national attention for its stark portrayal of the circumstances surrounding his death.
“Dr. Marvin James Farr, 81, of Scott City, Kan., passed away Dec. 1, 2020, in isolation at Park Lane Nursing Home. He was preceded in death by more than 260,000 Americans infected with covid-19," Farr's family wrote, adding later that he died “in a world where many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to protect one another.”
Farr's son wrote that he hoped the obituary would spark conversations, much like the political debates he and his father often enjoyed.
Missouri's top health official anticipates COVID-19 surge over the weekend
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Dr. Randall Williams said "if we were going to see a rebound or a surge (from Thanksgiving gatherings), that would probably come this weekend or early next week."
Friday, Missouri recorded 147 COVID-19 deaths, a single-day record.
No COVID-19 shot, no service? A look at the legality of businesses requiring vaccine mandates
After an Australian airline announced it will require all international travelers to provide proof they've been vaccinated against COVID-19, 41 Action News looked into the legality of such a rule in the United States.
Last week, the US averaged more than 2,000 COVID-19 deaths, 192,000 new infections each day
The United States set record numbers in what proved to be the deadliest week of the COVID-19 pandemic to date.
From Nov. 29 through Dec. 6, the U.S. averaged more than 2,000 COVID-19 deaths and 192,000 cases daily.
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